I'm Where?
by Elven-Quill11
Summary: Jessica Walsh is a college girl who ends up in Valdemar. We'll see old Misty characters and new me characters
1. Chapter 1

AN: I rated T because I'm not sure where I'm going with this and need to be safe.

Jessica Walsh lay down on her bed and cursed college. All of her classes were boring, hard, or both. This was the first day of college and Jessica found herself wishing for Kindergarten, full of nap timey goodness, coloring inside the lines, and sharing.

Pausing only to change into the first night apparel she could find, Jessica pulled the covers over her head and went to sleep. She slept that night as she did all of her nights, dead asleep, one would have more luck to wake a rock. But when she had gotten enough sleep (or so her body believed) the tiniest noise of the quietly shutting door woke her.

The sun was absurdly bright from behind her eyelids. The nightgown didn't even feel like hers. Then her brain woke up. _I don't wear nightgowns. _This made Jessica sit up and take stock of where she was.

The walls were whitewashed, the floor was made wood and sanded to prevent splinters, the window showed a view that was not the same one her window had shown yesterday morning.

Mind and curiosity abuzz, Jessica stepped into the hall. She doubted she had spent the night in her room. _Is this even my hall? _"Where am I?"

She ventured outside and stopped in her tracks. Where on the campus was this? A huge rolling green field in the distance, stone buildings, and a palace?!? "The campus didn't have that this spring, or yesterday," she whispered, her brain hadn't taken in the whole thing yet.

She wandered around looking for the Towers, especially Carey, where her dorm was. She looked for Alex Harrison, a good friend who also went to Central Michigan. Jessica began looking in vain for anyone she recognized.

After walking around like a lost puppy, Jessica found someone who might be able to help her. A young man in a deep blue tunic, breeches, and hat had rounded the corner. From his shined blue boots to the neatly styled blonde curls he threw off competence in waves.

Jessica thought he might be a Dungeons and Dragons geek or something so she flashed the Star Trek hand sign and said "Live long and prosper," as she approached. "Ok your probably aren't a Trekie but can you help me out? Your get up at least tells me that you are brave enough to wander campus like a dweeb. Where are the Towers, Carey in particular?"

The young man's face crinkled in confusion but he smiled politely. "I am Guardsman Jerin. I do not know any tower by the name of Carey. I did not know the towers had names at all."

"What where am I? Everyone knows the Towers!" Jessica said exasperated. "If this is some hazing thing I'm not amused. If I wanted to join a sorority and be hazed I would!"

"Mistress it is not hazy today. The weather is rather nice. And you should know where you are. You are in Haven," the guardsman said as if it were common knowledge.

Jessica had been annoyed by the "guardsman" pretending not to know about hazing. She was just about to utter a scathing retort when she caught the word Haven. "Heaven? I'm dead! I can't be dead!"

"Not Heaven, Haven, mistress. The capital of Valdemar," the guardsman said. The polite smile never wavered but the look in his eyes said he believed that she was barmy.

"I'm not crazy!" Jessica yelled when she recognized the look. "Stop messing with my mind. You can't expect me to believe that I am in one of the worlds from my books. I'm not dumb either."

"Mistress maybe you should come with me to the Healers, they can help you far better than I," the guardsman said.

"No I will not go with you to the "Healers" that is some kind of code for psyche ward. And the extent to which you take this farce amazes me!" Jessica's yelling had brought an older woman from a building near by. Jessica was glad to see an adult, until she saw the same uniform in an even deeper shade.

Guardsman Jerin quickly told his superior about the raving girl. "Mistress you should sit and we will talk," the older woman said soothing the girl, or attempting to.

"This is it! I've had it with this circus. I want to go home right now. I will not stay for one more minute at this mockery of a college. Show me where the parking lot is so I can leave. Now," Jessica said feeling confused, hurt, angry, and somewhat scared.

The guards acquiesced, far too quickly when Jessica thought about it later, and led her away. They took her into a building before Jessica even discovered its hospital feel.

"I am not crazy!" she yelled again. The guards and a few braver doctors wrestled her into a room with a bed. They fought and won the battle to have her restrained. None got away completely unscathed.

When a senior doctor came to talk to her Jessica calmly talked. "I want you to stop looking at me like I am crazy. You think I'm a simpleton because I refuse to believe that I am in Valdemar." Then the condescending look he gave her set her off, again. She yelled and cussed for the better part of ten minutes before the doctor interrupted.

"I must go, miss. But if you need anything I am Healer Karvi. I am needed else where for some important work," he said smiling calmly before turning to go.

Jessica stopped yelling and decided for a little fun. "One of the signs of an approaching nervous break down is the belief that one's work is terribly important," she said with a smile to the "Healer".

Outside the door the Healer slumped against the wall. The girl might be crazy but was thinking clearly. And the look on her face was not of madness, or anger, but a look the promised no end to the trouble she could wreak.


	2. Chapter 2

Talia, the Queen's Own, was in the House of Healing when the racket started. Tucking a strand of auburn hair behind one ear she finished checking the recovering Herald. When she exited the room the hullabaloo had stopped but a senior Healer, Karvi she believed, was leaning against a wall seeming troubled and exhausted.

"Healer Karvi, is there something wrong?" Talia asked quietly. She used her Empathy to feel the man out. He was unnerved and a little frightened.

"Herald Talia, nothing is wrong, just a patient who is a little unstable. She seems perfectly sane but does not believe that this is Valdemar. She wishes to go to Ohio. I have never heard of such a place but maybe you can help her better than I can," the Healer said feeling hopeful that the patient could be foisted off to a capable Herald.

Talia probed inside of the room for a reading of the girl. There was predominantly anger, fear, and confusion. Below the surface raced homesickness and anxiety. There wasn't the slightest shadow of madness. "She isn't mad, but her intense feeling projections are hurting through my Empathy. Would you mind if I talked to her?"

Healer Karvi gladly let in the Queen's Own into the room. Talia took a good look at the child. The slim girl, almost eighteen if Talia was to judge, would be short if she stood. The deep sapphire color of the eyes was not clouded by emotions but calmly watched her. Before Talia could say a word the girl began to speak to her.

"Foisted me off on you did he? 'Healer Karvi' isn't worthy of his Ph.D. If you are another psychologist I am not insane. I am merely pissed that the hazing here at Central is this bad and also that you have restrained me. I doubt my parents will be happy that I am being kept here against my will," the girl said as if the conversation were over a nice lunch.

"May I ask you some questions than? You seem fine but I should assess you any way," the girl nodded consent, "Where are you from? How old are you? And what is your name? That will start us off well," Talia said. The girl was unnerving; she would give Healer Karvi that, but did not need to be restrained.

"I am Jessica Walsh from Lexington, Kentucky. I will be eighteen in two months and intended to study history here at Central but I am going home once released and will enroll at the University of Kentucky," the girl, Jessica, replied calmly.

Talia had put a truth spell on the girl before questioning. The blue mist never wavered during the questions. Talia dismissed the truth spell; madness didn't fool the truth spell. The girl was completely honest. "I am not a Healer like Karvi. You may call me Herald Talia," the girl stiffened and blanched. "Is there something wrong Jessica?"

Despite the stark difference between the skin which was drained of all color and the freckles in it, when Jessica replied the voice was calm. "This is all very amusing," was the cynical response. "Tell me who put you up to this? Was it Brittany Johnson, oh no I know. It was my mother, yes? She always thought I wasted my time reading stupid fantasy books." Talia's confused expression spurred the girl on in her tirade. "She wants me to just grow up and is playing a huge prank. Well two can play at this game Mom! Please _Herald _tell me what your Companion's name is, or tell me who Demonbane and Shadow Stalker are." The girl ended her monologue to allow answers to questions that Talia was apparently not supposed to know.

"I am Herald Talia, Chosen of Rolan, and Queen's Own to Queen Selenay. And Shadow Stalker and Demonbane are name for Vanyel Ashkevron, the last Herald Mage, until Elspeth, of course," Talia said.

The girl looked like she'd been hit in the back of the head by a board. "Oh uh… Fine who is the Son of the Sun? And what are three things never anger or you will not live for long?" Jessica asked, though her assurance was clearly shaken.

"The Son of the Sun from Karse is Solaris and she is aided by her firecat Hansa. 'Three things never anger or you will not live for long: a wolf with cubs, a man with power, and a women's sense of wrong,'" Talia even sang the answer to the question, a part of the songs Threes.

If before Jessica had looked like she'd been hit by a board now was far worse. Her mouth flapped open and closed like a fish's. "Well, umm…I don't…You should…Oh Damn you."

"What is wrong I can help you," Talia whispered. "Do you need any help? That is what I do."

"I don't need anything," a disheartened murmur from the bed. Talia was swamped by a tidal wave of confusion but she did not know how to help the girl.

"I am leaving now," Talia said after a stretch of silence. "Healer Karvi will return soon."

Jessica muddled through her confusion, doubt, and other feelings._ This can't be true. Can it? I can't be in Valdemar. I want to believe. But I can't. If I believe what I am told…_The very fabric of her world was unraveling and along with it her sanity. _If I believe than I've lost all of me, all of what I've known, and where does that leave me?_

But who was supposed to answer her? _Than I am alone. And talking to myself. So now I _am _crazy and alone._

_:You are never alone, I am here Chosen.: _That voice, it was stronger than a raging river, more comforting than an enveloping hug; it resonated in her very bones.

"No," Jessica whispered. Then louder, "A Companion? In my mind? No. Inconceivable. No. Inconceivable. Entirely inconceivable," each word rose in volume until the girl was shouting.

:_You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.: _came a chuckle in her mind.

"Now the voices talk back! They were helpful to scare people! But now it is in my thoughts! Quoting a movie at me!" Jessica kept screaming. If she accepted what she knew the voice meant, she was in Valdemar, and if she was in Valdemar she didn't know how she got there. And if she didn't know how she was here, how would she ever get home?

The grip on reality she'd been fighting tooth and nail to hold on to was slipping. Her dreams, her life, it was shattering, like a stained glass window hit with a rock.

All she could do was scream and cry. Each cry that shook her frame, shook the foundations of Haven. Each scream echoed in any mind capable of Mindspeech.


	3. Chapter 3

The rocking of the palace, no the entire area around Haven, brought Healers at a run. The mental cries brought Companions, Mages, and Heralds, boiling from Companions field, the Palace, or Heralds Collegium like bees from a hive.

The Healers did not know what to do and so followed protocol. They restrained the screaming girl, far tighter than needs be. Then they filled her with sedatives to stop the quaking of her body and Haven. Unknown to the Healers this also stopped the mental screams.

Now the only sounds of Haven were a buzz of fearful confusion from most people and the anguished screams of a young Companion. The Companions quickly filled in the confused Heralds.

_:A young Companion. She cannot reach her Chosen. The Chosen is afraid, the fear is leaking to the young Companion.:_

"Get the Chosen to her Companion," was the order from so many Heralds. The sedated girl was put on a pallet just outside the House of Healing. The Companion could now help her stricken Chosen.

The nearness of the Companion did not help the girl. When the Companion lay next to her Chosen the girl quivered and withdrew. When the Companion nuzzled her Chosen the girl flinched as if struck.

Talia quickly moved through the crowd. She had wanted to help the girl before, now it was a duty to help the new Herald. The waves of chaos from the girl's emotions settled when Talia's hand touched Jessica's forehead. The emotions rose up and formed avatars to express themselves.

There was an extremely tall one shouting: anger. An even bigger one rocking in the corner of Jessica's mind: confusion. One slightly smaller than man height was covering it face, sobbing, and squeaking in panic: fear. Then a tiny one, no bigger than a child, running back and forth trying to calm the other emotions: sanity.

"'Oo are yer? Bog off ya great bloody tart," screamed the huge red angry manifestation in a bad cockney accent. "I want ter go 'ome!"

"Iyay on'tday understandyay. Iyay on'tday ikelay ityay. Iyay antway otay ogay omehay. Erewhay amyay Iyay?" The largest confused one was whimpering in Pig Latin.

"You need to calm down them down," said a high voice from Talia's elbow. Looking down she saw Sanity. "I can't control them now. Sanity and happiness are an impossible combination. They are trying to stay happy by not accepting the facts. If I am in control there might not be happiness but they will listen. I'd start with confusion, she is holding me back most."

"Talia spent hours calming anger, fear, and confusion. The only way she knew that it was working was the slow growth of sanity, and sanity began to help. When Talia disengaged from the girls mind it was morning. "Her sanity is well in control now. I tamed the emotions, but she has to accept some things herself," Talia whispered as fatigue caught up with her.

The girl had noticeably improved. She was still curled tightly in a ball as before but now she was curled against the Companion. A small hand reached out toward the Companion and the Companion nuzzled her Chosen's hand. A small smile light up the newest Heraldic trainee's face.

_:Wake up Chosen. You worry many people.:_ rang the voice in Jessica' head.

"Who are you?" murmured the girl.

_:I am Ana, Chosen. And I love you. You are never alone Chosen. I am here.: _The mind voice comforted the girl.

She opened her eyes to a plane of purest white. Following the curve of the elegant neck Jessica looked up into a face that surpassed equine in the way an ocean outshines a pond. The blue eyes opened a place in her heart that was lonely but she never knew it before. Then a rush of love filled the void.

Then the realization hit Jessica. _Ana._ One of her best friends. She would never see them again. The tears welled and Jessica began to cry. "I want to go home."

_:Would you go home and leave me Chosen? I love you. But I could not come with you. Would you leave me to return to your home?: _she was asked . The Companions, her Companion, sounded distressed at the possibility.

"No, I could not leave. This cannot be really. Is it?" Jessica's emotions began to wreak havoc but then a simple idea washed all confusion and fears away. _This is just a hallucination. You will wake up in your dorm, hating college. This is just a dream._

"That's right. Just a dream," Jessica repeated. She didn't listen to Ana's rejection of the idea. "I like dreams. You can do anything."

_:No Chosen. This is not a dream. You are awake. In Valdemar. Don't try jumping off a roof or walking on top of the river. Because it won't work.: chided the Companion._

"How did you know what I was thinking?" Jessica asked slightly panicked. Her mind was her one sanctuary.

_:I know what you think the moment you think it. Unless you shield yourself from me. But you won't do that, right Chosen?: _This time the voice was slightly threatening but had laughter highlighting the undertones.

"The horse thinks she is real funny. Well than I have some funny for you. A horse walks into a bar the bartender says 'why the long face?'," Jessica laughed. "Get it. Or even better: A horse walks into a bar and says 'ouch,"

_:Just being my Chosen doesn't mean I won't kick you. I am not a horse.:_

"I love you too," Jessica said quietly and hugged Ana.

_:Now don't be sappy but I love you too Chosen.:_

Talia, who had been watching the two interact, was pleased. Getting along was key for the bond to develop. But Talia also felt a small tinge of jealousy, the same small jealousy that cropped up when Heralds Mindspoke with their Companions. She couldn't speak with words to Rolan and wanted to.

Talia banished the green monster. She rose quickly to find accommodations for the new Herald Trainee. As Talia left one side of the conversation followed her away.

"I'm sorry you have P.M.S.: Pissy Mare Syndrome. Let me tell you a joke:

"This Kentucky horse breeder had a filly that won every race in which she was entered. But as she got older she became very temperamental. He soon found that when he raced her in the evening, she would win handily, but when she raced during the day she would come in dead last. He consulted the top veterinarians and horse psychologists to no avail. He finally had to give up because it had become ... a real night mare."

There was hearty laughter from Jessica but Ana did not appreciate the horse jokes. She flicked her Chosen with the long, luxurious, white tail, right in the face.


	4. Chapter 4

"Alright so this is your room," a tall girl of about seventeen, with dirty blonde hair said as she opened the door to a small room with very basic furniture. "I'm Rebecca, if I didn't say so already."

"You did already say that, but repetition never hurts," Jessica replied casually. The girl was nice, if overly helpful and talkative. "Wow, this room is mine? This is like the same size as my dorm at Central, but there I had a roommate."

"So I've shown you most of the Collegium. Now you need to speak to Housekeeper Seshel. She will sign you up for chores and give you uniforms." At this Jessica sighed, she had uniforms until high school at St. Ann's.

Housekeeper Seshel was a petite woman with glossy black hair and deep green eyes. Jessica liked her for some reason she couldn't fathom. "Let me see, alright you are a size seven if I guess rightly, and I'm never wrong. Now dearie do you want a mix of breeches and skirts or just skirts?" the Housekeeper asked after a quick interview and signing the girl up for chores.

"Breeches, hands down," Jessica replied vehemently. "I hate skirts. They are so swishy and gah just horrible."

Later that day Jessica lay herself down on her new bed, carefully arranging her wet hair to keep the bed dry. She'd an Orientation class, she was lately Chosen but knew enough to fit finely into where the class was at. The afternoon had been hectic with Herald Captain Kerowyn checking her aptitude with weapons: she had failed miserably in all but archery, which was mediocre.

Jessica had made an enemy her first day. When she had left dinner to walk around a noble boy had tripped her and started a fight. She remembered with a small smile.

_The boy had been idling against a wall, and when she passed flicked his leg out further. When she stumbled he had laughed, which set Jessica's blood to boil._

_"Watch it graceless," the boy had sneered._

_"I will when you do ya great bloody wanker," Jessica shot back. When she insulted people she tended for favor British English, the words just flowed a lot better._

_"You tripped over me girlie, do you know who I am?" the noble boy had said haughtily._

_"Let's see, oh yeah. I just remembered. Don't know. Don't care," she replied smiling._

_"My father is a very powerful noble," seethed the boy. "I can get whatever I want, when I want it."_

_"Frankly I don't give a flying fuck but you are making me mad. And__ when Dr. Evil gets angry Mr. Bigglesworth gets upset. And when Mr. Bigglesworth gets upset, people DIE!" Jessica had said, in her imitation of her favorite movie character: Dr. Evil._

_"You are crazy."_

_"What's your point? If you don't have one go back to shagging sheep and leave me to my business," Jessica said with a grin as she walked away. The boy might not have known exactly what she meant but understood he was being insulted._

"Today was a good day I guess," Jessica said while combing her hair. When she finally began to relax the lack of friends and familiar people hit her. Tears began to form in her eyes but she quickly brushed them away.

_:Chosen,:_ came the timid interruption of Ana. :_You need to talk, you are emotionally under par.:_

"I'm fine, I just, really miss them all. Especially Kevin, my boyfriend," Jessica sniffed. She furiously wiped away the quickly falling tears. "My friends would be having fun, Brittany would be jealous. Its just I'll in all probability never see them again."

_:Chosen there are people her who will like you, open up to them. And I am your friend,:_ Ana said. She then fiercely added _:Right?:_

"Of course you are. But this is the worst. It was bad enough going to college. I had some friends there, and could talk on the phone or send E-mails to them. Now I can't do anything. Its really funny actually. My friends and I used to pretend we had Companions and called them our 'Snarky White Ponies.'"

_:I am not snarky!:_ Ana said affronted, though amusement colored her mind voice. _:Maybe sarcastic, never snarky.:_

"Of course not, but how were we to know that?" Jessica smiled. "Sometimes you sound a lot like my favorite cousin, Christine." Then Jessica was hit by the blow about her family. Did they know she was missing? What were they going to do? They'd think she was kidnapped or murdered.

_:Chosen, you have now control over what happened. Your family may miss you but what can you do? Even if you could find a way home, you would leave me. Please don't Chosen, I love you.:_

"I wouldn't because I love you too Ana, but they are my family," Jessica said choking back a sob. "I've known them for almost eighteen years; they are going to worry about me. And I hate how I left things at home."

_:What is wrong Chosen?:_ Ana asked.

"When I left my sister said 'good a room for my extra stuff.' And I told her to take my room and all my stuff," Jessica sobbed, the tears coursing down her face. "I wanted to shake the dust of the crummy little suburban neighborhood off my feet and see the world. I told them I was glad to go away and get out of there."

_:Chosen it will be alright, they knew you loved them_.: Ana's mind voice was almost as comforting as a hug from her mother.

But a Companion couldn't hug the crying girl. Her mother wasn't there to bring her a happy hot cocoa, or her dad to make smiley pancakes. And there was no Kevin to hold her, kiss her temple, tell her everything was going to be all right. Jessica curled into a ball and for the first time in years cried herself to sleep, being held in a warm mental embrace from her Companion.


	5. Chapter 5

Jessica walked through a door that seemed vaguely familiar. Then she was hit by a wave of noise and of recognition. She was in the gym of Glenview High School, her old school, and it was Homecoming.

The weird circle gym was pounding with music, filled with students dancing and chatting. There was Rick Harris, resident hottie and the school's best wide receiver. There was Ms. Charles, Theatre goddess/English 11 teacher. And that weird smelly kid who sat behind her all year in sophomore History, he always touched her hair and weirded her out. She missed them; she could even find it in her heart to miss the weird kid.

Then she saw her friends and yelled for them but they couldn't hear her over the music. Jessica ran to them but missed when she went to hug them. Turning around she caught the tail end of the conversation. "He is such a great boyfriend," Jessica's great friend Brittany McDonald said flipping her now blonde hair over her shoulder.

"Brittany your hair its…its blonde! Did your mother dye it again? And you have a boyfriend? Since when?" Jessica asked excitedly. But no one answered her questions. She was getting annoyed but then a painfully familiar voice behind her.

"Hola chica," the deep musical voice said in the greeting reserved for Jessica. She whipped around to greet Jose Hernandez, her best friend since they were in diapers. Her tall dark friend passed her by without even a blink of his eye.

Jose wrapped his arms around Brittany's waste. Then he gently kissed her cheek and whispered, "Love you babe," into her ear. This shocked Jessica immensely, Jose had always held a torch for her, but she knew and he knew that she knew.

If one of her best friends brushing her off and kissing another friend shocked Jessica, what happened next sent her reeling. Brittany turned around and kissed Jose fiercely. Brittany was never into boys too much the whole time they knew each other but she seemed fine frenching Jose in front of everyone.

Jessica moved off to collect herself. Seeing her two neighbors and bunkmates from camp, twins Jenny and Jane, Jessica ran to embrace them. When she tried to drape an arm over each twin her arms passed through Jane and Jenny, causing both girls to shiver. "Twin thing?" Jenny's date asked. The girls shrugged not knowing what had happened.

"No way. This isn't happening. I've got to find Kevin, he'll know what's wrong," Jessica said feeling dread in the pit of her stomach. She didn't need to go far to find her boyfriend. But what she saw was just icing on this cake of confusion and crap.

Kevin, her three years boyfriend Kevin, was dancing sickeningly close to Libby Peterson, the bitch that had made Jessica's life a living Hell since sixth grade. Then that boyfriend stealing slut started making out with HER boyfriend. Jessica was disgusted because she could see tongue and didn't know whose it was. "How could you Kevin? You told me you love me!" Jessica whispered, tears streaming down her face.

Before Jessica could run away, the principal interrupted the dance with an announcement. "Now I know you are all having a wonderful time with your dirty dances and skimpy clothing but I have a serious matter to discuss. Tonight we are remembering an alumnus of Glenview High, one who was friends with many of this year's seniors, Jessica Walsh."

Hearing her name Jessica turned around in horror. On the stage behind the pudgy principal were her parents, Dad was holding Mom as she sobbed. Annie, Jessica's sister, stood there too with a blank expression on her face, for once in her life not wearing make-up or a cute outfit. The pale girl in black without make-up wouldn't be recognized as her sister if she hadn't been wearing the heart locket she always wore.

"Jessica Walsh has been missing for almost a week. If anyone knows anything you are urged to talk to the police. We will keep Jessica in our prayers, and hope that this bright, talented girl is brought safely back to her parents. Thank you for your attention," the principal finished sardonically, because people were talking or making out with dates.

It was like no one missed her. Her friends looked appropriately somber but there was Kevin making out with Libby. Jessica was shaking in an effort to hold back sobs. _Its like no one noticed I was gone._ But before she could break down she heard her name whispered. "Jessica."

Jessica whipped around to see who it was that could actually see her. It was creepy kid; she thought his name was Jeffrey. "Jeffrey, you can see me?" The weird boy from sophomore history wasn't the same. He had dropped about thirty pounds, gotten contacts, and had his braces removed. He wasn't too bad looking, creepy actions aside.

"Of course I can see you. I always saw you, always watched you. You just never saw me," he whispered with a slight, almost cute, smile. If she hadn't been so alone and confused the answer would have made her uncomfortable. "Isn't it funny? I used to idolize you but you never saw me. And now you are all alone, no one can see you, and I am here. Just like I always was."

"Jessica!" came a sharp voice. She looked around, no one was near and Jeff sure wasn't saying it. "Jessica!" Then she felt a sharp pain in her right cheek and the dance swirled away. It didn't churn into blackness like fainting, but like two pictures messed and one was being pulled to prominence.

Jessica came to lying on the floor of the Collegium Common Room floor. Above her hovered a rumpled blonde head, with square jaw and big ears. It was Herald Dirk teacher of her Orientation class and Herald Talia's lifebonded. _The two of them sure love to help me. _She thought both glad of the help and exasperated.

_:Chosen are you alright? You woke half the Collegium.: _was the worried voice of Ana in her mind. _:You have been sleepwalking , -talking, and –crying for the last half candle mark.:_

"Are you alright Trainee?" asked Herald Dirk, lifting her to her feet. Around him were Trainees and Heraldic instructors. Mira and Yana, from her Orientation, Sterick, from weapons training, Captain Kerowyn, and Rebecca, her mentor, all crowded around her in various states of undress.

Jessica put her face in her hands to block out embarrassment. She was slightly taken aback by the tears on her cheeks. Herald Dirk led an abashed Jessica back to her rooms after saying a few bland words to pacify the Trainees.

In her room Jessica was bundled back into bed and converged upon by instructors. Dean Teren, Herald Dirk, Captain Kerowyn and Herald Jeri, Kerowyn's second in command for weapons, and Co-Equitation teachers Heralds Keren and Sherrill.

"Are you alright youngling?" Dean Teren asked, raking his heavily grayed brown hair back.

Jessica told a basic version of what she had seen. Her friends not seeing her, everyone barely noticing she was gone. When she had finished only Heralds Dirk, Teren, Keren, and Sherrill remained.

"Teren, the poor girl has had a hard night. Cancel her classes and let her spend the day with her Companion when she wakes up. If anyone can help her with the turmoil it is her Companion," Keren told her twin. Sherrill, Keren's lifebonded, nodded in agreement.

Teren left as Dirk spoke to her. "You're goin' to need gift training before we'd expected. But no worries, these things happen." He smiled at her and followed the Dean out.

"Sherri," Keren said to her lifebonded, "make yourself useful and get the poor girl some tea from the kitchens." Once Sherrill left Keren stroked the tear and sweat soaked hair from Jessica's face. "You young one, when Sherri gets back you drink the tea and try to sleep some more. When you wake up have a good breakfast and spend some times with Ana. It'll make this all just a bad memory."

When Sherrill returned Jessica drank the honey sweetened tea, which slightly burned her tongue. Sherrill and Keren sat on either side of her bed as she drifted off. It was strange but nice that the two women Jessica didn't know stayed with her. The soothing murmurs and the shapes of the two women began to swirl, but this time into the comforting, dark, embrace of sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry about the lack of updating. I have been helping with my old high school's musical, Aida. My sister is trying out and I have volunteered, as an ex player and current theatrical student, to help. I was learning the dances to teach little people. It hurts. I hurt everywhere, I am deceptively unfit. The dances have bruised me. Ouch but the show (or in this case story) must go on.

Also Ana is the name of both Jessica's Companion and one of her friends.

When Jessica woke up she felt the weight of her dream press in. The tears welled as she hopelessly tried to tell herself that it _was_ merely a dream. _:Chosen, no tears. Come be in the Field with me. It is a beautiful day, you have no lessons, and you need me.:_

Jessica quickly brushed away tears and dragged herself from the bed. She opened her wardrobe to be disappointed; all the grey uniforms were drastically different from the mass of blue that would have assaulted the eye in her closet at home. She pulled one on with a deep sigh. _This is a bad clothing choice. I never looked better than passable in anything but forest greens and semi dark blues. The rest of the time I look dead. It could be worse, it could be black; and then I'd look like a walking corpse, especially after crying._

Jessica readied herself halfheartedly. She walked to the common room and nicked some soft cheese, an apple, and a loaf of bread. She had an idea and took a detour on her way to Companion's Field.

When she arrived at the fence of Companion's Field Jessica had a special surprise. She had used her charm, and maybe a few threats, to procure a sound conditioned, if old, lute. "I need to have some music," Jessica murmured by way of explanation. "I used to play guitar, and since no one here knows my music, I'll do it myself."

Ana made a comment but Jessica feigned momentary lapse of hearing. They walked to a little copse of trees, there Companion and Trainee sprawled on the ground. Jessica tuned the lute and plucks her way through modified versions of some of her favorite songs.

"I guess the guitar lessons weren't wasted, and the Renfests sure helped adapt the playing. I almost ran away with the Renfest actors when I was eleven. Then everything got packed up and went home, and there I sat, in the middle of a big empty field. My parents went ballistic," Jessica told Ana after a while. She stopped to eat her breakfast gleanings as lunch.

_:Chosen,:_ the Companion complained when the girl plucked a note faultily _:If you must torture me please do it well.: _Jessica feigned mock offense but knew the Companion joked by the yellowed undertone and an in pouring of love.

The bell for supper rang but Jessica played on. She had been working through Broadway musicals, from her passion with them had been bordering on obsessive since sophomore year. She had played random songs from Footloose, Wicked, and Les Miserables but now she was playing Aida.

"Every story, tale or memoir, every saga or romance," Jessica sang quietly but full of feeling, using the words as an outlet for her emotions. "Whether true or fabricated, whether planned or happenstance. Whether sweeping through the ages, casting centuries aside or a hurried brief recital, just a thirty-minute ride."

Without even knowing Jessica had drawn an audience. A young bard, Mylo, had followed the Herald Trainee who had been making a stir of the Collegium when the girl borrowed a lute. Heralds were generally musical fodder, but one that set the Collegium on its ear in the first week, that was bardic gold.

The journeyman bard watched the girl at her tuning, interested by the very different songs but he began to be disappointed by no hidden bardic gift and mediocre playing skills. He had resigned himself to seeing nothing miraculous happen today except then he was hit with a wash of emotions. He'd have lost his control without bardic training. Rage, misery, wistfulness and an underlying apprehension hit Mylo like a ton of bricks.

"Whether bright or melancholy rough and ready, finely spun. Whether with a thousand players or a lonely cast of one. Every story, new or ancient bagatelle or work of art, all are tales of human failing, all are tales of love at heart." Jessica put down the lute because she didn't feel up to finishing the song. She was rather miserable. The people were great people but they were technologically not very advanced.

The damn tears began pooling again. She covered her face and tried to suppress the crying, again. Then a soft white nose nuzzled her arm and the culture shock hit again. If she claimed that a horse talked to her at home she'd be looked at like a psycho at best and institutionalized at worst. _:Chosen don't bother about the boy. If he cared about you he wouldn't be with her. She is like the village pony, everyone has had a ride. And your friends do miss you. They are trying to be happy at your party thing.:_

The stunned bard stumbled as he ran off to do some songwriting. Then a strange thought intruded. It said in a voice echoing in his head "You need to tell Herald Dirk, this could be important." He agreed to the idea before running to his rooms and beginning work on what he thought would be the next widely sung song.

Jessica laughed so hard she began to wheeze from lack of air. "Village pony! That's her alright." Then more tears, but this time from laughter, coursed down her face. Her face was on the verge of turning blue when Ana hit her with her nose to make the girl breathe. _:Stop Chosen. You sounded like a seal. Ehhehehhehhh.:_

"I do not. Shut your horsey face. I'm going to bed pony," Jessica said. She ignored the comments from Ana concerning the Companion's lack of equine ancestors as she walked her way to the Collegium.

Jessica took a nice hot bath and relaxed. There was no one in the bathing room so she didn't have to answer awkward questions about last night. She went to her room and got ready for bed. She lay down and hoped not to have another sleepwalking night. As she fell asleep Ana made a comment _:You also sleep talked and sleep cried.:_

Jessica had another dream but this was very different. She was at T.V. 11 station. Her parents sat in chairs in front of a camera and were reading a letter to her. "We love you Jessica. We want you home with us. Nothing is the same, everything is less bright without you in our lives. Love Mom & Dad."

Then her father said to the people who would watch the new cast, "Please help bring our daughter home. She's been gone for three months. Anything could be helpful and we are offering a reward for information." Her mother broke down and there were tears in her father's eyes as her led his sobbing wife away.

"Mom, Dad. I'm right here." Jessica tried to grab her parents but she couldn't move. Her sister Annie move to take a chair. Annie still was dressed in black and went without makeup.

"Jessica please come back home. I'm sorry I was never nicer to you, if I would have known. You are my sister and I always loved you. I'm sorry I never told you that before." Jessica's sister cried a little before continuing. "I didn't change anything in your room, even if you told me to. My saying that it was good that I could have another room was just my way of coping without you. I love you."

Jessica followed her sister as she left the room. Annie huddled in a corner and cried in heart wrenching sobs. Jessica tried to hug the sister that she never had a good relationship with. She couldn't hold her or even be heard by Annie but Jessica whispered soothing words to her sister.

It was a while later when Jessica and Annie returned to the camera room. Ana was just leaving but who came to sit down next stopped Jessica from catching her friend. Kevin sat down in a chair and began to talk about the relationship he had shared with Jessica.

Annie couldn't bear to see him and ran out again. But Jessica listened with a feeling of rage. "We had the best relationship ever. The three years we spent together were the best years of my life. Jessica helped me get through the death of my mother and to her I owe my life. We never had to speak to connect. I had so many nicknames for her, baby, sweetie, honey, pookie, sugar, bubbles, babydoll, dimple cheeks, firefly. I really wish she was still here with me."

Jessica followed him after his huge spiel because of how much he lied. "You never called me anything like that ever," Jessica growled.

If she could she would have beaten him by now. But to make matters worse he goes and starts making out with Libby in the hall. If his bold faced lies on T.V. made Jessica mad this pissed her off. Jessica tried to punch the lying wanker but her fist kept flying through his head.

Annie rounded the corner from the bathroom and stopped in shock. "You bastard," was all that she said.

Kevin unhooked himself from Libby and smirked. "So its little Walsh. What's wrong, don't like to see people kissing?"

"You said all that stuff about how you loved Jessica. And here you are snogging the tramp? I always told her you weren't worth her spit."

"Well what are you going to do, tell Jessica?" Kevin laughed. "I was going to break up with her anyway, this was just more convenient. So why don't you go," but that was all he said before the words were cut off with a fist in his mouth.

Annie punched him again and again in the face. Jessica should have known karate lessons actually taught her sister something. Then Annie did something Sensei wouldn't have approved of, she kicked him right in his most precious of anatomy parts.

While Kevin was getting beaten up by a little girl Libby decided to leave. Annie wasn't going to let that happen. Annie tripped the older girl then punched her in the face. "Now you have an excuse to get another nose job bitch, who ever did that one must have really hated you."


End file.
